As part of our DVF Studio series, we commissioned Reinaldo to make a limited collection of his signature, handcrafted one-of-a-kind works. Using a mixture of glazes and underglazes, pencils, wax, and sanding to enliven each ceramic structure, each unique piece is available to purchase at select DVF stores.

“This body of work is very special to me. It’s intuitive and abstract, its about colors and shapes. I love that it speaks to so many artists.”

Born and raised in Caracas, Venezuela, Reinaldo Sanguino now lives and works in Long Island City, where he makes a range of robust ceramic pieces that feature his colorful and characterful free-hand abstract paintings. Not limited to a conceptual boundary, he makes each piece instinctively, leaving more room for interpretation. The result often mirrors the eclectic, inclusive nature of his current home city and the place where he developed as an artist—New York City. “I want this body of work to be all different shapes and sizes—like a big group of people from different places,” he says. “Something that all sorts of people can really connect to."

"Right now, I tend to go for the abstract—it’s more about colors and shapes. It’s a break from the conceptual work I’ve done. It’s fun, it’s intuitive—it’s another way of thinking."

"Using all different types of glazes as I do, the references that people have made to my work have been so wide. People have mentioned graffiti, textures of the city, so many things. So in a way, the different vibrancy of the glazes makes for a good variation."

"My major source of influence is definitely New York City. There are so many colors and textures. Just walking around and seeing how the city changes from one place to another, seeing so many different people from different cultures, so many different patterns and types of clothes—all of this inspires me. I love cracked sidewalks and the architecture of the trains. I’m also inspired by aspects of time in the city; for instance, a wall that looks like debris, with paint peeling off."

"I’ve become so spontaneous with my use of color, which I only started doing with this body of work. I don’t go by color theory—I go by feeling. And it turns out, I have a really soft spot for glazing. It gets me in the mindset of letting go and being willing to accept the risk of the material."